Turn your beliefs into actions - Self-study prompts from Kelley Palmer
"Belief initiates and guides action - or it does nothing."
-Octavia E. Butler
My belief is in collective action. We are living an intertwined existence with every other being on this planet. Our choices about resources, care, community and justice are impacting much more than we realize. It is this belief in collective actions that makes me feel like yoga has the space to transform social justice when engaged intentionally. This practice gives us access to many tools that make the space for us to investigate, unlearn and confront systems of oppression. The practice gives us the tools to look inward as a starting place for that change.
I want to offer some self study questions for you to consider as you think about engaging in social justice, activism and the push for collective liberation. Create a comfortable space for yourself before engaging these questions. Give yourself about 5 minutes to write about each question and make time to re-read what you put down on paper. Take some deep, cleansing breath and dig in:
- What were you taught about race, racism and white supremacy by the community that raised you?
- What were you taught about yourself in respect to race by the community that raised you?
- How has what you were taught about race, racism and white supremacy impacted your choices about the life you are living? (ex. Where you live, where you spend your money, what you hold as valuable)
Towards Liberation,
Kelley Nicole Palmer (she/her)
Join Kelley for Race & Equity in Yoga: Disruption as a Practice, a 12-hour online course for yoga teachers. This course is designed to help you get clear on your role in dismantling white supremacy and activate your yoga practice for social justice.
Registration is open through February 24.
Course meets twice weekly and runs February 24 - March 5.
